Search This Blog

Controversial! Fun And Also Games! First Comic Book related blog to be featured in the Australian National Library's Pandora archive. Pop culture, music, film and comic book expert. Would be willing to write for biscuits.
2016, 2017 Rondo Award nominee.
Proudly annoying people since 2003.
Logo and banner designed by Michael Netzer.

Subscribe to this blog

Follow by Email

Achtung Baby

New look, whoopy chook. Oh, and if you want to read the archives then don't waste your time. I'll be deleting them in bulk just as soon as I'm able - pretty much all of it is crap anyway, rantings from when my brain did it's short-circuit.

Anyway, down to the nitty and indeed also gritty.

I'm quite proud of the Andru/Esposito book. I've been told it's a bloody good book, reflective of the amount of time I spent on it - nearly three years. I spent a good 18 months working solidly on it, and the last 9 months of those I worked on it full-time, every day, 7 days a week. However if there's one flaw with it (and I'm sure there's several) then it'd be that there's not a lot of actual writing from my side of things. I transcribed tapes, reconstructed conversations and, in a few places, invented dialogue without changing the course of events, or the feel. Sometimes my dialogue worked better than Mike's and Mike agreed with me. After that amount of time I knew Mike's voice so well that I could (and still can) construct dialogue that sounds all the world like he said it. I found his voice.

The book is mainly interviews though, and comments from other people. At times I felt like an editor, or a facillitor, just putting it all together in order. Not overly satisfying, but don't get me wrong, I'd not trade the entire experience for all the world. The book started at a time when my life was reasonably settled, went through a period of utter turmoil and chaos, and it ended with me being happier than I've been in decades. I'd like to think the book reflects all of those time periods well.

For me the book is my version of U2's October. it works, it's good, it has it's highpoints, but I can do far better. And I have done far better.

I've been writing anbout Terowie for a while now, I'm gonna knock that article together, just for fun, in the very near future. It means a trip up to the town, but I'm sure the other half won't mind a bit. Wait for that one.

Now, where does that leave the Mooney book? Well that book I want to win awards with. I'd be happy to win an award for the Andru/Esposito book, but I'd be far happier to win awards for the Jim Mooney book. Why? Because the Mooney book is my version of The Fly.

For those who don't know. The Fly is a U2 song. Released in 1991 it stunned the world of U2 fans who were expecting a rather tepid follow-up to their 1988 album Rattle & Hum. Rattle & Hum was a parent friendly album - everyone loved it, even if they did get sick of it. Nice, radio friendly tunes that your mother liked. Then they released The Fly. Fueled by a guitar riff straight from the gutter it lurched along with a violence that the band hadn't even hinted at in the past. People everywhere hated it - I LOVED it! Couldn't get enough of it. It was nasty and more importantly it was something new from someone who was set in their ways. It was growth.

I want the Mooney book to lurch along with the same violence and energy. I want the book to reflect what I already know - underneath the surface of Jim's brilliant art lurks a dark side. You can see it in his sketches. Have a look.

Here's an original Mooney Batman sketch that I had the brilliant Norm Breyfogle ink.

It's beautiful. It's dirty and oozes a violent energy that lifts it up from the usual preliminary art that I've seen.

Here's what Norm did with it.

Norm took it and added polish to it. He's made it into a brilliant work of art, maintaining the feel of the Mooney original at the same time as stamping his own unique style onto the page. This is why we adore Norm.

I want the book to reflect both sides of this. I want it to explode with the energtic approach that Jim brings to his work, and I want it to have the smooth, professional polish that Norm can add. I want the world in other words.

I've written more in 54 pages in the Jim Mooney book than I've done previously. Actual writing. And I think it's slowly getting there. I'm enjoying it. I want an award for this book so I can then give it to Jim for making it happen. It's his life, his book, I'm just happy to be part of it.

Get link

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

Email

Comments

I agree with the version of the books. I'm on the edge of my seat each time I read a piece of these extroadinary lives and I've barely scratched the surface of Jim's.Hope it all slides together nicely. Soon we shall toast the victory that is rightfully Andru, Esposito's and Mooney's. til that day, keep the power coming.

Popular posts from this blog

The final judgement has been handed down in the long running Gary Friedrich vs Marvel (Ghost Rider) case, and now we know the full amount that Friedrich owes Marvel. That's right, Marvel, a company that stands to make millions of dollars from the upcoming Ghost Rider II movie, and is paying Nicholas Cage millions to portray a character that Friedrich created, now wants money from Friedrich - in specific $17,000. And they'd like that $17,000 now, please. In full.

This stipulation has been agreed upon and so ordered by the court, with the final judgement reflecting all that contained within. This now means that Gary Friedrich has the right to appeal, and appeal he shall, but it also means that he now owes Marvel Comics, a multi-million dollar making machine, backed by the multi-billion dollar Disney company, $17,000 and cannot ever sell anything related to Ghost Rider, nor can he even say that he created Ghost Rider for any form of gain or advertising. Well done Marvel!! …

Was Yogi Bear gay or not? It's this kind of thing that keeps me wide awake in the middle of the night, clutching at the quilt, drowning in sweat and wishing that the ghosts inside of my head would just flee and leave me be. But they don't, so I instantly turn my thoughts into other realms.

Now, Yogi. On the surface of things he appears to be a normal bear. In the historical context of things he's just a cheap copy of Art Carney's Ed Norton (actually the Honeymooners was stolen better by Warner Brothers for their cartoon series featuring mice - Ralphy boy and his neighbour Martin).

Yogi used to hang around a place called Jellystone National Park and was, for the most part, obsessed by picnic baskets. Like a demented homeless person he relentlessly stalked people, slept on park benches, probably urinated in public, harassed people and stole whatever food and anything else that he could reach. All the time he was pursued by two people, the first being the anal retentive Ra…

Go and have a read, and, more importantly, pass the word on to everyone and anyone who is thinking of travelling anywhere and booking. First rule of thumb - NEVER pay anyone via a money transfer system such as Western Union or Moneygram. They assist the scammers, and once your money is gone, those companies couldn't care less. They've got their cut. Make sure you pay in such a way that you've got recourse - if it's a money transfer then it's a scam, as far as I'm concerned.